Territory



(No Model) WITNESS F. M. ST. G'LAIR.

DEVICE FOR UTILIZING THE FORGE 0F GURRENTS AND STREAMS. PatentedJan.23,1883.

DBL I! INVENTOR B Mfg ATTORNEYS.

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN M. sr. CLAIR, or SILVER oIrY, IDAHO TERRITORY.

DEVICE FOR UTILIZING THE FORCE OF CURRENTS AND TPt'EAMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 271,145, dated January23, 1883,

Application filed September 13, 1882. (No model.) I

T o alien/tom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN MANLY ST. CLAIR, of Silver City, in thecounty ofOwyhee and Territory of Idaho, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Devices for Utilizing the Force of Currents and Streams,ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates tofloating apparatus or structures for utilizingthe power of water in rivers and streams; and it consists in a certaincombination or combinations of parallel connected scows, one ormoreinterposed wheels or devices carried by said scows t'or actuation by thestream, mechanism operated bysaid wheels or devices for transferring thepower, and laterally-adjustable gates forming a hollow wing-dam hingedto the forward ends ofthe scows and capable of being opened and closedat their outer or forward extremities, substantially as hereinafterdescribed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 represents a plan of an apparatus or structure embodying myinvention,-and Fig. 2 a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same onthe line so a: in Fig. 1.

A A indicate two scows or floats, wedge or how shaped attheir forwardends, and arranged parallel with one another at asuitable distanceapart. These floats are to be anchored, as by cables I) b and spars, orotherwise, with their heads facing the stream, and are kept in positionat a proper distance apart by cross beams or girders O O, which shouldbe hinged or otherwise suitably connected with the floats to rise andfall with them.

Hinged, as at c c, to the bows of the floats are two buoyant sweeps orbeams, l) 1), arranged to project out into the stream, and forming whatI term an adjustable hollow wing-dam, having attached innercurrentboards, E E, which project down into the water, and may be sofitted as to admit of their being raised or lowered in the current forthe purpose of diverting the current and directing it with more or lessforce onto or against an undershot-wheel, G,or, it may be two or morewheels arranged between the scows or floats A A and supported by them.

The sweeps D D of the hollow wing-dam, with their attachedcurrent-boards E E, form both current directors or deflectors and gates,which may be opened and closed to regulate or shut off the force of thecurrent on the wheel forward ends to act as side guards or fendersagainst driftwood or other floating obstructions, also as ice'guards tothe scows and wheel or wheels arranged between them. In Fig. l of thedrawings said gates or sweeps, with their attached current-boards, arerepresented as open in full lines and as closed in dotted lines. Theopening and closing of them may be controlled by chains or otherattachments connecting them with devices on the shore-as, for instance,by windlasses d dfon the one side of the stream, pulleys c e ontheopposite side of the stream, and ropes orchains ff connecting the outerends of the sweeps D D with either Windlass d d-whereby the hollowwing-dam may not only be more or less or fully opened or closed, but belocked or held by the windlasses in their set position. Any otherdevices, however, may be employed to open or close them. When closedthey form a wedge-shaped breakwater against the force of the current andto protect both the scows and their intermediate wheel or 'wheelsagainst drift-wood or ice, as hereinbefore specified.

Ifdesired, the scows or floats A A may be bow-shaped and similarlyprovided with hollow wing-dams at both ends, to take advantageofopposite or tidal currents alternately. There may also be any numberof these scows .or floats and accompanying devices used in parallel.relationship with each other, and instead of one or morenndershot-wheels G being used any other suitable device or devicescapable of being propelled by the current may be employed. It willsuflice here, however, to describeasingle undershot wheelG. Thiswheel Gmay be hung in screw or other adjustable bearings, K, on both scows, toprovide for the raising or lowering of it, and its shaftg be made todrive by any suitable gearing from either or opposite sides of its axisa countershaft, H, with or without reversing mechanism for utilizing thepower, as required.

This improved apparatus may be used to drive centrifugal orreciprocating pumps to raise water for irrigating or mining purposes,

G, and when closed or partially closed at their for operating grinding,sawing, or dredging machinery, and for various other purposes.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. In an apparatus for utilizing the force ofcurrents or streams, the combination,with connected-together scows orfloats arranged a suitable distance apart, and a wheel or device capableof being propelled by the stream, of the adjustable gates and deflectorspivoted to the scows or floats and adapted to be held in position asagainst the action of the current or water, and caused to approach orrecede from each other by means of the ropes or chains passed throughpulleys on one side of the stream and around windlasses or windingmechanism on the opposite side of the stream, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

2. In an'apparatus for utilizing the force of currents or streams, thecombination, with the scows or floats A, arranged a suitable distanceapart, and a Wheel or device, Gr, capable of being propelled by thestream, of the adjustable gates or deflectors D, having the current-.

boards E and pivoted to the scows or floats,

the ropes or chains ff, pulleys 0e, and the windlasses or windingmechanism 01 (1, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an apparatus for utilizing the force of currents or streams, thecombination,with connected-together floats or scows arranged a suitabledistance apart, a wheel or device capable of being propelled by thestream and arranged between and supported upon the scows, mechanism fortransferring the power actuated by said wheel or device,adjustable gatesor current directors and deflectors pivoted to the scows and held inposition as against the action of' the current of water, and caused toapproach and recede from each other by means of ropes or chains passedaround pulleys on one side of the stream and connected to windlasses orwinding mechanism on the opposite side of the stream, substantially asset forth.

FBANKLINM. s1. CLAIR.

Witnesses:

GUY NEWooMB, MARK LEONARD.

